WRITTEN QUESTION No. 834/96 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Employment
Date: 1996-04-12
Institutions: AMADEO, European Parliament
Subjects: EU financing, competence of the Member States, employment policy, fight against unemployment, vocational training, young person, youth unemployment













EUR-Lex - 91996E0834 - EN






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91996E0834

WRITTEN QUESTION No. 834/96 by Amedeo AMADEO to the Commission. Employment  


Official Journal C 217 , 26/07/1996 P. 0119 





WRITTEN QUESTION E-0834/96 by Amedeo Amadeo (NI) to the Commission (12 April 1996)Subject: EmploymentAt the recent summits held in Brussels, Corfu and Essen, combating youth unemployment was defined as one of the European Union's main priorities. Council Decision 94/819/EC ((OJ L 340, 29.12.1994, p. 8. )) of 6 December 1994 establishing an action programme for the implementation of a European Community vocational training policy, based on the proposals of the White Paper, defines some of the basic premises for developing valid, effective vocational training strategies for combating youth unemployment.Does the Commission not consider that it would be beneficial to introduce a programme to supplement wage costs for young jobseekers? The aim of this programme would be to contribute, by providing support over a limited period of time, to creating and safeguarding jobs, thereby offering young unemployed people guarantees of employment. Young people who have been unemployed for over 6 months and who are not taking part in a training scheme must be able to have access to the job market on the basis of practical work experience. Support should be provided for at least a year and should correspond to at least 50% of wages, on the basis of the rates of pay in force. It should be dependent on an employment contract for an unlimited period. The programme should place particular emphasis on transnational employment.Answer given by Mr Flynn on behalf of the Commission (7 May 1996)The conclusions of the Essen European Council, which were again endorsed by the Cannes and Madrid Councils, highlighted the needs of young people as a priority for Member States. In adopting the single report presented to them by Ecofin and the Employment Council, heads of state and government issued the following mandate in favour of young people:'Member States and management and labour should ensure a proper pathway to their integration in the labour market. All young people should be provided with the level of education, training and work experience needed to make them employable'.Member States policies for addressing the issue of youth unemployment are articulated in their multi-annual programmes, drawn up following the European Council at Essen. In particular they are to be found in response to priority 1 (increasing investment in education and training), priority 3 (reducing non-wage labour costs) and priority 5 (measures to help groups hard hit by unemployment.Employment policies are essentially the responsibility of Member States and are determined according to their individual priorities, and subject to internal budgetary considerations and constraints. Whilst the Commission can seek to identify and disseminate good practice, competence in this area rests with Member States.